Damian's Tangle
by Unassailable Heart
Summary: Ever wonder what Disney's Tangled would be like with the Batfamily? Well here it is! The story everyone's been waiting for! Staring Damian as Rapunzel, Jason Todd, as Flynn Rider, Tim as Maximus, and Alfred Pennyworth the cat as the Frog. No slash.
1. Chapter 1

" _This- is the story if how I died. Ok, I'm kidding, that story takes place a few years before this one. And this isn't even my story; it's a story about a boy named Damian. And it starts because of water. Or a lack of it. See, this woman used magical water to heal herself and keep young. But the lord who owned the magic water cut her off, angry at her for diluting his bloodline by bearing a son whose father was not chosen by him. So the woman took a vial of the water, and hid it away along with her young son. But not before the boy's father learned of him. The boy's father, a knight, searched far and wide for his lost son, shining lights up into the skies with his symbol on them, in the hopes that his son would see and understand. The woman kept her son away from the world, training him in the ways of a warrior, and stealing away to the compound he was hidden in only every once in a while. But when the boy was alone, he would open the windows, lean out, and watch the far off lights…."_

…..

Damian threw the doors to the balcony open, and glanced around. "Hm. Guess he's not out here…" he walked back inside, and then crept back out, silently. There was some scratching from a plant in the railing, and then a cat with white stocking feet and a white chest crept out of the vines.

"Gotcha!" Damian cried, leaping forwards and snatching animal up. There was an annoyed hiss, and several new cat scratches were added to the collection already on Damian's arms. "Oh, stop it, Alfred Pennyworth. I like it in here, and so do you," he lied, putting his pet down on his bed and flopping down beside it. "Tt. I have done everything except _sing_ to entertain myself this morning…"

Alfred meowed, and pawed at Damian.

"No, I'm not singing. Really, I'm not _that_ desperate yet. Give it a few weeks..." he trailed off. "I hope mother comes today. I'm almost out of colored pencils."

Alfred jumped up onto the bedside table, and knocked over a half finished drawing or the night sky, lit up with strange lights.

"No! Alfred, don't touch that! I'm not done, I can't quite see what's in the middle of the lights," Damian slipped the paper under his pillow and waked to the window. "If I could only get closer..."

…..

"Wow!" said Jason Todd, impressed. He leaned forward on the roof of Wayne Manor a little, taking in the fields, trees, and distant skyline of Gotham city. "I could get used to a view like this."

"Jason, come on!" yelled Roy Harper from the other side of the roof, with Starfire flying just above him.

Jason held up a hand. "Hold on…. Yep, I'm used to it. Guys, I want a Manor."

Roy rolled his eyes. "We pull this off; you can ransom this Manor right out from Bruce Wayne. Let's go!"

A few gables down, and one laser cutter later, Jason was being lowered into a cave, in which was a display case, surrounded by people in spandex. Jason quietly opened the case door, and grabbed a colorful uniform. He froze at an unexpected nose.

"Achoo!" the smallest person sneezed.

"Allergies?" Jason asked, sympathetic.

"Yeah," the boy sighed. "Wait, what?"

But Jason had already been pulled up, and he and Roy were grabbed by Starfire and flown off into the sunset.

"Can't you picture me in a Manor? I certainly can. Oh the things we've done and it's only eight on the morning!"

…..

"Alright Alfred, I am almost ten years old, and I cannot be a proper warrior living inside my whole live. I am going to ask her," announced Damian, grabbing a rope ladder and pulling it to the window. "Really though, she couldn't have waited to come until after I'd showered?"

"Damian! Hurry darling!"

"I'm hurrying!" said Damian, pushing one end of the ladder out the window. "Alfred quick, get under the bed." Mother didn't like cats, and Alfred knew this. He vanished quickly.

Talia Al Ghul stepped inside the room, and sighed. "Oh Damian, must you dawdle before you lower the ladder? I don't like to be kept waiting."

"I'm sorry, Mother. But as you know, tomorrow happens to be my-"

"Damian, look in the mirror," Talia said, pulling her son next to her. "You know what I see? I see a strong able young warrior."

Damian stood a little taller. Praise from his mother was rare, and-

"Oh look, you're here too!" Talia added. Damian scowled. "Oh, stop taking everything so seriously, Damian, I'm just teasing!"

Damian rolled his eyes. "So mother, I was thinking that tomorrow-"

Talia gasped and pressed her hand to her stomach. "Darling, mother- ran into some trouble on the way. Get me a drink, pet? Then we'll talk."

"Of course, mother," Damian sighed, and filled a glass with water, then pulled a vial of glowing green liquid hanging from a thin chain around his neck, and carefully poured a single drop into the water.

"Here!" he pushed the cup at his mother and watched impatiently as she drained it. "So, mother, earlier I was talking about tomorrow, and you didn't really respond, so I'll just tell you. It's my tenth birthday."

Talia stood up and surveyed herself in the mirror. "No, no, I distinctly remember. Your birthday was last year."

Damian straightened some pencils in a box. "That's the strange thing about birthdays, they're kind of an annual thing… and what I wanted to ask- that is, what I've wanted for every birthday now-"

"Damian, do stop mumbling! It's so very aggravating; you know I can't stand it."

Damian looked down at his feet, and Talia walked over to him. "Oh, don't look so sad, darling, I was just teasing! You're so-"

"I want to see the lights," Damian interrupted.

Talia froze. "What?"

"Well, I was hoping you would take me to see the lights in the sky."

Talia put a hand on her sons shoulder. "You mean the stars."

Damian shook his head, and pulled a large piece of paper out from under his bed. "No, I've charted stars, and they're constant," he said, displaying the star chart he had drawn. "But these lights appear every year on my birthday, only on my birthday. I need to see them, mother. And not just out the window. In person. I want to go to Gotham."

"You want to go to Gotham?" Talia Al Ghul repeated, raising an eyebrow at her son.

"Yes, I would like to-"

"Why Damian," His mother interrupted. "Look at you, as fragile as a flower!"

"This morning I broke a steel beam with-"

"Still a little sapling, just a sprout!" simpered Talia. "You know why we stay up in this compound?"

"Well not really but-"

"That's right, to keep you safe and sound, Damian," Talia said, clasping her hands. "Guess I always knew this day was coming, knew that soon you'd want to leave the nest! (That's a bat pun, child). Soon, but not yet!"

"But mother-" Damian protested.

"Shh! Trust me, pet!" Talia said, holding up one finger. "Mother knows best!"

"Mother, are you singing?"

"Mother knows best, listen to your mother, it's a scary world out there," Talia sang, ignoring the question. "Mother knows best, one way or another, something will go wrong, I swear!"

"But I can prepare for all-"

"Crime families, thugs! Poison Ivy, Scarecrow! Killer Croc and Copperhead!"

"No I-"

"Yes! Also large bats, men with metal teeth and- stop, no more, you'll just upset me!"

"Last week you cut someone's fingers off, and that didn't upset you, so I fail to see why this should-"

Talia grabbed her son, hugging him hard. "Mother's right here, Mother will protect you. Damian, here's what I suggest! Skip the drama, stay with mama-"

"With who?"

"- Mother knows best."

Talia leaned against the wall, dejectedly. "Go ahead, get trampled by Grundy. Go ahead, get crowbared and left for dead. Me? I'm just your mother, what do I know? I only bathed and changed and dressed you…"

"Well actually the servants-"

"Go ahead and leave me, I deserve it!" Talia sniffed tragically. "Let me die alone here, be my guest! When it's too late-"

"I could just give you some water out of this vial thing I have-"

"You'll see, just wait. Mother knows best! Hahaha!" Talia laughed, putting an arm around Damian's shoulders.

"Mother, I find your behavior rather confusing, and-"

"Mother knows best, take it from your mumzy-"

"My what, now?"

"-On your own, you won't survive!"

"Well I think-"

"Sloppy, underdressed, immature, clumsy-"

"None of those words can be used to describe me!"

"Please, they'll eat you up alive!" Talia sang. "Gullible, naïve! Positively grubby!"

"I didn't have time to bath after training, I had to bring you the ladder-"

"Ditzy and a bit well, hm, vague," Talia reached over and pinched her son's cheek, causing him to scowl and swat her hand away. "Plus I believe, getting kind of chubby-"

"Its baby fat! I'll grow out of it!"

"I'm just saying 'cause I wuv you-"

"That's not a real word!"

"Mother understands, Mother's here to help you! All I have is one request!"

"Yes, mother?" Damian asked with a sigh.

"Never ask to leave again," Talia ordered.

"Yes, Mother."

Talia reached over and stoked her sons head. "I love you very much, Damian."

"I love you more, mother."

"I love you most," said Talia, fingering the chain around her son's neck.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks so much, I didn't expect so much enthusiasm for this story! The reviews were lovely.**

 **~Heart**

"No, no no no, this is bad, this is very bad!" Jason said, staring in horror at the screen of Roy's phone. He pushed it at his companions, revealing three pictures on the news. "They just can't get my helmet right!"

Roy snatched his phone back. "Really? Who cares?"

Jason sighed sadly as Starfire inspected the phone. "That's easy for you guys to say, you look amazing."

Starfire looked quizzically at the photos of her and Roy, both from times they had been arrested. "Perhaps we should look at the phone later, and find a way over this brick wall now."

"Cant Star just fly us over?" Jason asked.

"She got shot with something that inhibits her powers. Seriously, where have you been?"

Jason muttered something about readers needing exposition, and walked over to the wall. "Ok, give me a boost, and I'll pull you up."

Starfire and Roy looked at each other for a moment. "Give me the bag, first," Roy said.

Jason pulled the bag containing the stolen item close to his chest. "What? I just- I can't believe, after all we've been through together, that you two don't trust me."

Roy held out his hand.

"Ouch," complained Jason, passing Roy the bag. He then scrambled up his companions, stepping in way more faces than necessary, until he was sitting on top of the wall.

"Now help us up, bird boy," Roy said, arms trembling somewhat under the Starfire's weight.

"Sorry," Jason apologized, holding up a bag. "My hands are full."

Roy's eyes got wide, and he looked down at his side, now minus one bag. "JASON!"

…..

Dick narrowed his eyes, watching the debacle on the wall unfold. He glanced down at his brother Tim, who stood alert next to his motorcycle. "We have to get that bag, at any cost," Dick told him. Tim nodded, and climbed onto his bike and Dick did the same. "Get the one in red and black, the other two don't matter." And they rode off.

…..

Tim had gone to the left at the fork in the road. The asphalt here was lined with trees, and full of cracks. Tim had thought he had glimpsed a building in the nearby cliffs, but now he was pretty sure it was just strange shadows. Though maybe he should-

 _Wham!_

Tim never saw it coming. 'It' was in fact, Jason's foot as he swung out of a tree. Jason moved Tim's body to the side of the road, and inspected Tim's bike.

"Haha, mine."

Jason mounted, and headed for the cliffs to find some place to hide out. It was a lot faster on bike than on foot. As he approached, he realized that what he (along with Tim) has assumed were shadows was actually a building carved into the face of a cliff. He was staring at it when he heard vehicles near, so he stashed his newly acquired bike in the bushes, and scaled the cliff face, climbing in an almost hidden window. He stood in the room, and pulled the bag off of his shoulder, looking at it tenderly. "Alone at last."

 _Crack!_

Jason, like Tim, never saw it coming.

Damian dropped the escrima stick and ran to find some rope before the intruder woke up.

When he came back with some, Alfred was nosing around the man. "Alfred Pennyworth, don't you lick that thing, I have no idea where it's been!" he scolded, grabbing the man's arms and pulling him towards his closet. He pushed him at the door, but since it was a wardrobe, he couldn't just slide him in. Damian then tried using a makeshift pulley to swing him in, but the strangers legs ended up sticking out. After a lot of pushing, Damian managed to get him to stay up long enough to shut he closet door, but as he was walking away, satisfied, the door opened, and the intruder fell out, right on top of Damian. "Ow!"

Then using a broom and some high kicks he had been taught (Hopefully the man's ribs were strong, because he'd certainly feel the effects of this when he awoke) he managed to shut the door firmly this time, and shoved a chair in front of it.

Damian took a deep breath, and looked at his cat. "Alfred, I have a person in my closet. I think we can both agree that this is the kind of information that may….trouble mother. I suggest we keep silent on this subject. Can I count on your silence?"

Alfred meowed, and started licking his paw.

Damian nodded. "Thank you, Alfred. And good idea, I'd better clean up any trace of our- guest."

He put away his escrima sticks, and stashed the rope under his bed for later ( _what was the use of being taught interrogation techniques if you couldn't practice them?_ ) and grabbed a bag that the intruder had dropped. Curious, Damian opened it, pulling out- a costume? It was red and green, with a yellow cape. And it looked so very… right.

"Damian! Let down the ladder!"

Damian's eyes got wide. "Its mother!" he hissed to Alfred. "What am I going to do?"

In answer, Alfred dove under the bed.

"Of course, I'll hide it. Thank you Alfred," Damian said, stuffing the costume back into the bag and hiding it in a vase.

"Damian!"

"Coming mother!" Damian called, grabbing the rope ladder.

"I have a surprise, darling!" Talia said, stepping into the room.

"Um, good, uh, surprises are good," stammered Damian, trying not to look at the closet.

"I brought beef stew for dinner!" Talia said, holding up a jar.

"Oh mother, you shouldn't have. Really. I don't eat mea-"

"Damian, I was thinking about what you said earlier," Talia interrupted.

"About the lights?" Damian asked.

"The stars yes."

"They are not stars, they-"

"I thought we have resolved this issue, pet," Talia said, sounding rather forced.

"But if you'd just-"

"Damian, we're done talking about this," Talia snapped.

"But listen, I-"

"Damian!"

"You never-"

Talia lost it. "Enough with the lights, Damian! You are not leaving this place, ever!"

Damian stood, a little shocked, as his hopes for seeing the lights, seeing anything, slipped away.

Talia dropped into a chair. "Great," she complained. "Now I'm the bad guy. Usually I'm ok with this, but…"

Damian took a step forwards. "All I wanted to say, mother, was that… I know what I want for my birthday now."

Talia sighed. "And what is that?"

"Those special colored charcoals you brought me once."

Talia stood up. "Those come all the way from Central City, Damian. That's a very long trip!"

Damian scuffed his bare foot on the floor. "I just thought it was a better idea than the- the stars."

Talia looked at her downcast son, and nodded. She took her jacket, and walked to the window. "Alright, I'll be back as soon as I can, pet. Take care of yourself. I love you."

"I love you too, mother," Damian said softly, pulling up the rope ladder.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the long wait, my writing laptop sort of bit the dust.**

 **But thanks for all the reviews and follows! Thanks especially to zatannagurl, I love your reviews.**

 **~Heart**

Jason woke up, extremely stiff, and with something wet and rough on his ear.

"Euck!" he yelled, jerking his head to the side, and there was a yowl, as something jumped off his shoulder.

"Alfred Pennyworth, what did I say about licking?" asked a rather annoyed sounding young voice. Jason looked around, but couldn't find the source. He tried to stand up, and ropes around his wrists, ankles and waist stopped him.

"What the-"

"Don't bother struggling, I know my knots," said the voice again.

"You know you're not what?" Jason asked, trying to remember what had led up to this.

"I know why it is that you're here. I won't let you take it!"

"Take _what_?" Jason asked.

There was a small thump as someone dropped down from the rafters, and a small dark haired boy stepped into the light, wielding an escrima stick, which he pointed at Jason. "Who are you, and how did you find me?"

Jason stared in shock. Wow, this kid looked an awful lot like-

"Who are you? And how did you find me?" the boy repeated a little harder.

Jason coughed. "I have no idea who I am, and I found Jason Todd- wait, that's not right. I have no idea how I found this place, and I'm Jason Todd. 'Sup?"

The boy scowled. "Who else knows of this place, Jason Todd?"

Jason held up his hands defensively (As best he could bound to a chair). "Look, you little demon-"

"Damian."

"I'm glad you agree. Here's the thing, I was in a situation, running around the outskirts of Gotham when I came across your little hidden cliff house here and- oh no, oh no, where is my bag?" Jason said, twisting to look around.

Damian crossed his arms. "I've hidden it," he said smugly. "Somewhere you'll never find it."

Jason looked to the left, then the right. "It's in that vase, isn't it?"

 _Crack!_

Jason woke up to something familiar and wet in his ear.

"Yeck! Will you stop that!" he yelled at the cat, and tried to wipe his ear on his shoulder.

"Now I've hidden it where you'll never find it," said Damian, continuing from before he had knocked Jason out. "So why are you here? To try and kidnap me?"

"What?"

Damian pointed the escrima stick as him again. "You won't get away with it, you know."

"What? Why on earth would I want to kidnap some brat? Look, I was being chased, I saw your window, and I climbed in! End of story!" Jason said with a roll of his eyes.

The cat jumped up on Jason's lap, and put its paws on his chest, staring unblinkingly into his eyes for a moment. Jason stared back, a little scared. Damian turned around and dropped to one knee, and the cat leapt off Jason to sit in front of Damian.

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Damian whispered to his pet. Alfred just looked at him. "I think so too. And I do need someone to take me." Alfred meowed. "No, I took his weapons away." The cat looked down at the ground, and Damian sighed. "True, but what choice do I have?"

He picked up his pet and stood.

"Did you just get advice from your animal?"

Damian sniffed. "His name is Alfred Pennyworth."

"Really?" Jason asked. "And why did you name him that?"

Damian looked at his cat. "…I don't know. I just did. Anyway, Jason Todd, I have decided to offer you a deal."

"A deal?"

Damian picked up his drawing from his bedside table, and held it up in front of Jason's face. "Do you know what these are?"

Jason snorted. "You mean that Batlight thing that Bruce Wayne does for his lost son every year?"

"Bats… I knew they weren't stars!" Damian whispered. "Well tomorrow night they will fill the skies with these lights. You will act as my guide, take me to see these lights, and then return me home safely. Then, and only then will I return your bag to you," he looked levelly at Jason. "That is my deal."

Jason scoffed. "Yeah, no. Gotham city and I aren't exactly on speaking terms right now. So I won't be taking you anywhere."

Damian dropped his drawing and took a step forward. "Something brought you here, Jason Todd, call it what you will, fate, destiny-"

"A robbery."

"-And I have made the decision to trust you," said Damian.

"A terrible decision, really."

"Trust me when I tell you this," hissed Damian. "You can tear this place apart with your bare hands, but without my help, you will never find your precious bag."

Jason sighed, tugging halfheartedly at his bonds. "Lemme get this straight. I take you to see the lights, and then bring you back here, and you'll give me my bag?"

Damian nodded. "Yes."

Jason looked at his bound hands, then up at the serious face of the boy in front of him. "Ok, fine."

"Really?" asked Damian, sounding like an actual kid for once.

"Yeah. Keep our deal, though, or they will never find your body," threatened Jason.

"Well that's ambitious of you, but I've had nothing to do but train for ten years," said Damian, cutting the ropes off of Jason's limbs.

"Cute, kid. Let's go!"

…..

Talia walked along the road, enjoying the quiet. Unfortunately, like most nice things, the quiet didn't last. A teenage boy staggered down a hill, tumbling into the road right in front of Talia.

"Ow… I think I ruptured my spleen…."

Talia sniffed and stepped around him. "Hm. _Waynes._ " She has taken half a dozen steps when she froze. "Waynes- here? No, Damian!" She turned and fled back down the road, heading for the cliffs.

"Uh, could you call my dad? I think I have a concussion," called Tim. "No? Oh, ok. I'll be fine. Probably."

…..

"Here we are, the Snuggly Duckling!" Jason proclaimed, gesturing at a bright yellow building.

"That sign says Titans Tower," Damian said.

Jason squinted. "Does it? I could have sworn…. Anyways, they have great food here."

Jason threw the doors open and strode in, followed by an apprehensive Damian. "Boy! World's finest table, please!"

Tim rubbed his head. "Worlds fin… I don't know where I am."

Jason ignored him. "Smell that, Kid? That's the pure stench of heroics. These brave children and teen _bleed_ truth, justice, and stuff like that."

A white haired girl with an eye patch watched them, sharpening her sword. A red skinned boy breathed fire in their general direction. "That's a small vigilante," the girl commented.

"He'll grow," Jason assured her. "Hey, is that blood on Terra's hands?"

"Do I know you?" Tim asked Damian, looking confused.

"Good sir, that's a lot of blood!"

"Shut it, Jason!" snapped Beast Boy. "It wasn't funny the first six times you made that joke-"

"Hehe, six, one for each member she betrayed."

"Argh!" Beast Boy lunged across the room, changing into boa constrictor midair and wrapping himself around Jason's neck.

"Fight!" yelled Ravager, jumping into the fray, followed by Wonder Girl, Impulse and Superboy.

"Hey! Stop that!" yelled Damian, trying to push his way through the fray.

"Not the face!"

"Punch him in the face!"

"Let him go!" Damian pulled out an eskrima stick and whacked Ravager on the head with it.

Everyone froze.

Damian pointed at Jason, who was on the ground with Impulse sitting on his middle. "That man is my guide. I, unfortunately, need him to take me to where the lights are, because I've been dreaming about going there my whole life!" he glared at them all. "Now hand him over, or I'll hit you again. Anyways, haven't any of you ever had a dream?"

Ravager stood up, and loomed over Damian, raising her sword above her head. "I…" she growled. "Had a dream, once." She threw her sword at a blond haired boy sitting in the corner. He glared at her with green eyes, and then picked up a guitar and strummed it.

Rose cleared her throat, struck a dramatic pose, and began.

"I'm malicious mean a scary, my sneer could curdle dairy, and violence wise my hands are not the cleanest," Ravager sang, gesturing at a chalk outline on the floor.

"Goodness gracious," said Jason.

"But despite the schemes I hatch, and my temper and my patch," she sang, tapping her eye patch. "I really want to be an optometrist!"

"Eh?"

"Can't you see me in an office doin' examinations? Polishin' those glasses til they gleam! I'd rather be called deadly for my peas and carrots medley (They're good for your eyes), cause way down deep inside I've got a dream!"

She leapt onto a table, drawing another sword. "Though I do like squishing eyeballs! You see me wandering those med halls, like everyone else I've got a dream!"

"That's beautiful," whispered Jason.

Kid Devil stood on a chair, next to Jericho, who was still playing his guitar, continuing the madness.

"I've got horns and claws and fingers! And I'm not a real good singer, and let's not even mention my completion!" he sang, waving his hands at his bright red skin.

But despite my extra toe!"

Damian gagged.

"And the fire that I blow!" Kid Devil took a deep breath, and then lit the chandelier on fire.

"I really wanna make a love connection!" he sang, putting an arm around Ravager. "Can't you see me with some special little Meta, not forever alone, like that meme." Ravager grabbed his arm and flipped him over her back, slamming him into the floor.

Kid Devil sat up and shook his head. "Though I'm one disgusting demon, I'm _sensitive_ , not some He-man. Cause way down deep inside I've gotta dream!"

"Keep it there," Ravager growled.

"But he's gotta dream!" protested Jason.

Kid devil shook his head. "I know one day romance will reign supreme! Though my face leaves people white with strife, I know Ravager will be my wife, like everybody else I've gotta drea- aaah!"

Kid Devil vanished as Ravager tackled him.

"Garth would like to quit and be a florist," Tula sang, as Aqualad presented her with a seaweed bouquet.

"Cyborg does interior design," sang Beast Boy, gesturing at the tower.

"Joey's into mime," Ravager sang as Jericho threw his guitar at her.

"Alfred's cookies are sublime!" Alfred held up a plate up his famous chocolate chip.

"I'm so confused," said Damian.

"Hawk knits!"

"Dove sews!"

"Impulse does little puppet shows!" Impulse guiltily shoved his red and green puppets behind his back.

"And Raven collects little winged unicorns," whispered Beast Boy. A ray of dark magic wrapped itself around his ankle and threw him across the room.

"They're Pretty Pretty Ponies," Raven said flatly. "And what about you?"

"Me?" asked Damian. "No, absolutely not. I'm not going to sing."

A portal to hell opened up and Jason was pushed into it.

"Aaiiiii!"

"I have dreams like you, (Not really) just much less touchy feely, they mainly happen somewhere cold and crime filled. In a city that I rule, as a king, violent and cruel, surrounded by the heads of my enemies!" Damian sang, monotone.

No one moved.

"I like that dream," said Raven, and brought Jason back.

"I've got a dream!" Jason announced, leaping to his feet.

"You've got a dream?" Tim asked. "But hey, aren't you-"

Jason pulled out a gun, accidently hitting Tim in the head with it. "I've got a dream! I just want to see from Batman's face tears stream! And with every passing hour, I plan to make the Batfam cower! Like all you lovely teens I've got a dream," he sang, flashing a winning smile.

"He's gotta dream, She's gotta dream, They gotta dream, we've gotta dream, so our differences ain't  
really that extreme, We're one big team!"

"Ow," groaned Tim, sitting up. "Where am I?"

"The snuggly du-"

"Titans Tower," Damian said, interrupting Jason. "We're leaving before these idiots are done singing. Come on!"

Jason and Damian snuck out the door, with Tim following them. "Do you know where I am? Last thing I remember is this creepy lady in all black…"

Damian froze. "Oh no, She'll be looking for me! We have to leave, now!"

"Who is she?"Asked Jason, grabbing Tim's arm and dragging the protesting teen along with them.

"She's my mother, Talia al Ghul," responded Damian.

"Oh, we are in such big trouble," said Jason.

"The ninjas might be a bigger problem," offered Tim.

"The what?"

"League of Assassin soldiers," said Damian. "They'll kill you!"

"You too," muttered Jason.

"No, they'll just capture me. They'll torture and kill you and- whatever this other person's name is."

"His name's Max," said Jason.

"It is?" asked Tim, confused. "Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure. Anyways, how are we going to lose them?"

A figure in dark clothes with a blue emblem on front dropped down in front of them.

"Stop, Outlaw!"

"Do I know him?" Tim asked.

Jason grinned. "That's how we're going to lose them."


	4. Chapter 4

**The trouble I had with this document was ridiculous... Anyways, here it is! They much awaited chapter four! With many thanks to Theresa, for all her help, and Father of Understanding, for reminding me that I was in fact, supposed to be writing this, and my Cupcake sister, and of course all my other wonderful reviewers! You guys make me so happy.**

"Who is that?" Damian asked, drawing his swords.

"The illustrious Nightwing!" Jason said, theatrically. "Defender of the weak, scourge of the villain, and wearer of spandex."

"Seriously, do I know him?" Tim asked.

"Nah, he doesn't even like you, Max," replied Jason.

Nightwing pointed his escrima sticks at them.

"Hand over the boy and the bag, Outlaw," he said.

Damian narrowed his eyes. "Are you talking about me?"

Jason shook his head. "Nah, he doesn't like you either. Anyways, to business."

"I have no business with you!"

"Yeah you do. There are a lot of angry ninjas after us, much like you are. Now, I know you and your precious rules won't let you kill me or Max over here, but those ninjas have no such qualms. So, you can go, stop them, and hope to find us again, or you can let the ninjas overtake us and kill everyone." Jason grinned. "Your choice!"

Nightwing hesitated then growled and stepped back. "I super hate you."

Jason shrugged. "I can live with that."

Nightwing pulled out a grapple gun and swung away.

Damian frowned. "What was that about?"

"Family problems, you know how it is," Jason said airily. "Hey, Max, stop puking, we've gotta get a move on!"

Damian sniffed. "That imbecile isn't going to be following us the whole time, is it?"

Tim made a face at Damian. "I super hate you."

At that moment the ground beneath their feet gave out, and the dropped into darkness. Wet darkness.

"What just happened!" yelled Damian, shoving rubble off himself.

Jason did the same, examining the dark surroundings. "We must have been standing over some sort of cavern… looks like we're trapped."

"That's not the worst of it," added Tim. "There's water pouring in here. It's going to fill up."

Damian scowled. "I super hate you two.

…

Tim coughed up some water. "What is-ack-wrong with you!"

Damian pulled himself out of the dirty stream they had been washed into. "So much. I won't bother asking what you were thinking, because the answer is clearly nothing!"

"Hey, don't make me regret blowing up the wall to free you two jerks," Jason said irritably. "Ah, messed my hand up!"

Tim collapsed on the ground. "I regret so much…"

"Here, you completely don't deserve this," Damian grumbled, pulling out the vial around his neck. "Hold out your hand."

Jason did so, and Damian carefully let one drop fall onto the wound. It glowed green for a moment, then broken skin and bones knit themselves back together.

"Whoa," said Tim. "I definitely have a concussion."

Jason stared at his hand, and then sat on the bank. "Excuse me for a moment," he said. "I think I'll have a flashback."

Damian shrugged. "Suit yourself."

…..

Nighwing retrieved an escrima stick from where he had thrown it at a ninja, stepping over said ninja in the process.

"Hello child."

Nightwing whirled around, raising his sticks at Talia al Ghul. "What do you want?"

"To help you-"

Nightwing snorted.

"- recover what you lost." She took a step nearer. "Help me recover something the Red Hood took from me, and I'll see your satchel returned to you."

Nightwing shook his head. "No. I won't ally myself with you. But- I won't get in your way if you don't get in mine."

Talia inclined her head. "Agreed.

…..

"Feel better?" Tim asked, as Jason sat up.

"Much. Nothing like some angst to sooth the soul."

"Tt. Can we continue now?" Damian asked impatiently.

"Yeah yeah," Jason waved his hand. "Don't you wanna hear about my flashback?"

"No."

"Ok you've talked me into it," Jason shifted, sitting cross legged. Tim sat down across from him.

Damian glared at Tim. "Really?"

"What? I want to know what his flashback was about."

Damian heaved a sigh and sat next to his companions. "Let's get this over with."

 _It was a dark and stormy night-_

"That's rather cliché, isn't it, Todd?"

 _In Gotham, it's always dark, always stormy, and always night. Don't interrupt. Anyways. Once upon a time, I died._

"But if you died, how are you-"

 _Shut up max. It doesn't matter how it happened. It was super tragic. Lots of people cried._

"I imagine you often make people cry."

 _Rude, demon brat. Lemme tell the story ok?_

"Jason, I kind of feel like I might- oh no. Eck-"

"Todd how many times can one be sick before permanent damage occurs?"

Jason sighed dramatically. "Wow Max, way to ruin the story. Come on, there's a convenience store a bit down the road."

Tim staggered to his feet and followed Jason and Damian down the road.

As Jason and Tim perused the first aid aisle, Damian wandered into the pet aisle, scratching his cat behind the ears as he browsed.

"I thought I'd never get to talk to you alone, Damian," cooed a familiar voice, causing Damian to freeze.

"Mother?"

Talia smiled, and put an arm around her sons shoulder. "Hello child."

"How did you find me?" Damian asked, confused.

"It was easy, I just listened for the sound of complete and utter betrayal and followed that."

"...Fair enough."

Talia's grip on him tightened. "Come along now, Damian, we're going back home."

Damian twisted out of his mothers grip. "No!"

Talia's gaze darkened. "no?"

Damian took a deep breath. "No. My companions and I-"

"An imbecile and an outlaw are not fitting companions for the heir to the Demon."

"We're almost to Gotham city and-"

"Is that what this is about? Those lights you're obsessed with? Damian, drop this foolishness and come home, or there will be dire consequences."

Damian considered this, then decided that there was not point to being a spoiled ten year old prince if you couldn't throw a tantrum every now and then.

"No!"

Talia looked at him. "I see. You think your companions won't abandon you when they learn who you are?"

Damian crossed his arms. "They already know you're my mother."

Talia smiled, causing Damian to cringe. "That's not what I meant, dear." She picked up a satchel Damian hadn't noticed she'd placed at her feet and held it out to him. "Did you think I wouldn't find it? When they see this, they will put the pieces together, and turn you over to our enemies without a second thought. Come home, Damian, and I will forget this idiotic deviation ever happened."

Damian looked at the satchel, torn.

"I will give you to think about it, but don't take too long," Talia warned, leaving as suddenly as she had appeared.

"Hey! Brat! There you are," said Jason, walking into the aisle, followed by Tim, who was holding an ice pack to his head.

"I told you he'd he in the pet aisle," Said Tim. "Why'd we have to check aisle two first?"

"It makes sense. Aisle two because he's playing second fiddle."

"What? To who?"

Jason glared at the ceiling. "Stupid Golden child, making us all look bad..."

"I'm confused," said Tim.

"Well there's a surprise," Damian muttered.

Jason sniffed. "Why can't my family just love and accept me for who I am?"

"Aren't you a murderer?"

"Shut up max, or I'll give you another concussion."

…..

Nightwing watched, as three people left the convenience store.

He narrowed his eyes. There was no doubt they were heading to Gotham city, but why? And what was Talia's interest in the boy?

Keeping to the rooftops, he followed, and watched.

He wasn't the protege of the worlds greatest detective for nothing...


End file.
